10 Dec 1998: Captains Alec Stewart of England and Mark Taylor of Australia hold an 1948 Australian cap the before the Third Ashes Test against England at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia. Australia retained the Ashes. \ Mandatory Credit: LaurenceGriffiths /Allsport

Mark Taylor - Leading from the front

•27 October 2012

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor, born on 27 October 1964, did have his fair share of struggles as an opening batsman, but he still finished with an average of 43.49 in Test cricket.

Taylor, who was awarded the Australian Sports Medal on 23 June 2000 for his services to Australian sport, played 113 ODIs, but didn't really set the 50-over format on fire. But, his leadership skills and positive demeanour helped him become one of the greatest captains world cricket has seen.

Taylor won 26 of the 50 Tests he captained in, a success rate unmatched in the previous 50 years except for Don Bradman and Viv Richards.